Richka

Thank you for your comments dear ballet friends. I enjoyed writing these memories of my teachers though now badly in need of a re-write. Wisps of memories of these remarkable people who should never be forgotten and I guess will continue for as long as I do.

From the start I found your 'ruminations' of tremendous interest. We have had so many of the same experiences in the dance world. We have corresponded before but a long time since. We did exchange pictures of George Chaffee and memories. A few months ago I put a blog up here about my ballet teachers. There is of course some I wrote about Chaffee. He stands out as one of the few who were not Russian emigres. I don't think anyone has read the blog at all; at least there have been no comments. Sometimes I wonder why I bother. Not that I want to rave about Facebook as it does have many faults, but it does open up far more communication.

I have been very much out of the picture for the past few months due to the scourge of cancer. I've had two horrible surgeries, then an infection that required endless daily infusions through a tube into my heart. Thank goodness it's all over now and at the moment I'm in recovery. The good news is I'm getting stronger every day and also they got all the cancer out.

I hope you are well and would love to be in touch again if you are willing.

This is probably enough for now.

All the best,

Richard Holden

MEMORIES OF GEORGE ZORITCH - PART TWO

Three Days in Las Vegas

George Zoritch was a home person. When he retired after 18 years of teaching at the University Of Arizona, he so much enjoyed his house; a villa style in the foothills of the Tucson Mountains overlooking the city of Tucson.

Once I suggested we take a trip to Las Vegas. I frequently went to Vegas alone, not to gamble but to see the shows; an 8 hour drive; if speeding. I always stayed at the LUXOR since its opening day in 1993. Built as a pyramid with slanted elevators to the rooms, everything was in the Egyptian style of decor (It has since changed). Originally it had a spectacular show beneath the pyramid that I saw many times. The magnificent Court of the Pharoah, even the river Nile, with chariot races, a parade of camels and elephants and over 200 dancers; all in spectacular ancient Egyptian costumes. Sadly, after two years it was all discarded; probably because the management felt it was not really of interest to the usual type of Vegas visitors. They replaced it with a night club and rock bands.

We stayed at the Hilton. I liked to visit other hotels on the strip but George wanted to stay in his room. He would have been in his 80s then.

I had tickets for the Debbie Reynolds Theater; part of her own hotel that she sadly lost soon after. We had a table directly in front of the stage. George was delighted with the show, especially when the star chatted with me as part of the show. After the show he even stood in line for an autograph from the star.

Then there was the Nevada Dance Theater, run by George's friend of long ago, Vassili Sulich. Vassili started his ballet company as an artistic outlet for the classically trained dancers on the Vegas strip. After the performance we were invited to a dinner at the Tropicana where Vassili had once been a headliner. It was in a special dining room, hosted by the Tropicana management. George, always the reconteur, made himself the main attraction with his vast stock of stories. I was quiet and waiting; as is usual at events such as this. Vegetarians are habitually forced to wait patiently until everyone else has finished; then, invariably, a plate of three steamed vegetables arrives! Chefs usually have no imagination when it comes to vegetarians!

George was obviously glad to get back home to Tucson.

Next: Visitors from Russia.

My goodness! I'm replying to a posting dated 2005 I think, so don't know if the Ruminations is actually still around. Anyway, I'll put in about my delight in reading it. George Chaffee. I too studied there . This must have been around 1951. I was a teenager too and had just arrived in NYC. I had already a bit of training in Boston but it was Russian folk dancing and I was basically a beginner in ballet. I took one class with Madame Anderson whose studio was just below Chaffee's as you know, but I not could keep up. Maybe it was a morning advanced class. So went upstairs to Mr. Chaffee. It was like a family. Before long he took me into his Concert Ballet group and we toured to Atlanta and Hartford. I was working at the Roxy Theater (remember that?) at that time, at the candy stand in the giant rotunda. The Roxy let me off for a week in order to tour with Mr. Chaffee. It was so exciting. Still have pictures and programs from that tour. I remember we all did barre on the train enroute to Atlanta which surely must have been a sight to the other passengers.

Many years later, after I had danced with Metropolitan Opera, ABT, England, etc. maybe during the 80s, I again ran into Mr. Chaffee.

By then he of course had lost his studio on 56th St. and was living in a tenement bldg on 10th Ave. Adelade Vernon was there too.

It was very sad. I visited several times and he made a tape of his voice describing me as his student which was to go into a book.

When I got back to NYC from Paris, I found out that he had just died and a memorial was to be held at some church on 47th St. I believe. I went to this. Adelade was there and several others from the early days. Maybe you were there!

Anyway, I still have the obit and know full details of his death.

I was at Ballet Theater school, also then on 56th St. The first class of Mme Nijinska. I had no money those days so, as I'm Russian speaking, I asked her if I could come to her classes without pay. She said yes. She left shortly after, I think over some misunderstandings with William Dollar, but I kept on at the school. So I had all the teachers you mention, Edward Caton, Vilzak, Shollar, Bill Dollar, then Mme. Peryaslavec.l The BT often called my upstairs where the manager asked me if I could not pay at least half. I couldn't. Scholarships were not around in those days. Mr. Chaffee had me emtying the garbage and cleaning the studio walls as my payment.

I have lots more to say about George Chaffe, also the BT staff (Mme. Baliev) Doukadovsky, Margaret Craske, Tudor, Igor Schwetzoff, and many others but should wait first to be sure not wasting time in case this is not going anywhere.

Thanx for writing about Chaffee as not much really has been done about him.

Richka